A few good relaxation techniques can really help save our life, because stress is more than just an unpleasant experience - it's also dangerous to our health! Disciplined practices such as meditation can really help relieve that stress for us, but what do you do if you don't have the time or motivation to do some meditation? Below are ten techniques to help you relax when meditation is not your thing!
1. Hug someone. Physical contact with someone works wonders! It sets off hormones in your brain which make you feel good. As long as the person being hugged is someone you trust - it's well worth carrying out. This only works, however, if you hug a living creature - soft toys or your pillow just won't cut it. Alternatively, you can try hugging a pet!
2. Interrupt your daily routine. Taking the same route to the bus stop, buying coffee from your local cafe, or getting the same sandwich for lunch - this may all seem very familiar and fall within your comfort zone, but familiarity breeds contempt, as they say. Try taking yourself out of your comfort zone and try something new. Take the longer route to the bus stop, check out the cute little coffee shop tucked away in the corner, or try a wrap instead of a sandwich. These are the sorts of experiences that will break you out of your habit and open you up to new horizons, and help you to get into a stress free mindset.
3. Have a hot shower or draw a nice hot bath. The feeling of hot water running down your back or the sensation of your body unwinding while soaking in the tub after you've had a long and strenuous day is one of the best feelings ever! Your muscles automatically loosen up when you have a hot shower or a bath, automatically leading you to de-stress. If however you find that it's a cold shower or bath that floats your boat, then go for it!
4. Try watching your mind. Spot the stressors lurking just below the surface (hunger, worry, a phone call you need to make), and you can resolve them and feel more relaxed. If you practice this mindfulness exercise, it may become one of your favorite relaxation techniques.
5. Laugh. Such a simple thing, yet many of us forget that it's so easy to do! A phone call to a funny friend, a few moments of surfing the net for silly videos, or even just thinking about funny moments in your life can break the tension that you're feeling.
6. Use relaxing music. Keep your favorite relaxation music in your iPod, in the car, or wherever you'll need it and are able to use it the most.
7. Leave the room for a while. If there is a scenario or circumstance in a particular room or area that is causing you to stress out, then try taking some time out from that place. Removing yourself physically from a stressful situation can work wonders!
8. Breathe deeply. Deep breathing is a quick fire meditation method, and can be extremely effective. Count slowly to five while inhaling through your nose, and do the same while breathing out. It helps to keep your eyes closed while doing this, as then you are solely focusing on your breath. Repeat this for as many times as you want to until you feel calmer - it works wonders!
9. Drink some chamomile tea. Any tea can help to soothe your nerves. However, most teas contain caffeine so try it in small doses. Chamomile tea is perhaps the best for calmness as it contains no caffeine and won't hype you up.
10. Go for a walk. If you have five or ten minutes to spare, walking is one of the best relaxation techniques. While you're at it, find a pretty place to walk. No point walking near dumpsters or people smoking cigarettes. See if you can find somewhere calming (think trees, flowers, lakes and birds).
There is more than enough going on in our lives to keep us stressed. Don't accept this as natural! Stress is not just annoying; it can threaten our health and the livelihood of those around us as well. Introducing any of these simple techniques into your life can hopefully help you find calm a little at a time - and once you do that, it will be easier and easier to identify and erase the stress that's coming over you before it reaches a fever pitch!
1. Hug someone. Physical contact with someone works wonders! It sets off hormones in your brain which make you feel good. As long as the person being hugged is someone you trust - it's well worth carrying out. This only works, however, if you hug a living creature - soft toys or your pillow just won't cut it. Alternatively, you can try hugging a pet!
2. Interrupt your daily routine. Taking the same route to the bus stop, buying coffee from your local cafe, or getting the same sandwich for lunch - this may all seem very familiar and fall within your comfort zone, but familiarity breeds contempt, as they say. Try taking yourself out of your comfort zone and try something new. Take the longer route to the bus stop, check out the cute little coffee shop tucked away in the corner, or try a wrap instead of a sandwich. These are the sorts of experiences that will break you out of your habit and open you up to new horizons, and help you to get into a stress free mindset.
3. Have a hot shower or draw a nice hot bath. The feeling of hot water running down your back or the sensation of your body unwinding while soaking in the tub after you've had a long and strenuous day is one of the best feelings ever! Your muscles automatically loosen up when you have a hot shower or a bath, automatically leading you to de-stress. If however you find that it's a cold shower or bath that floats your boat, then go for it!
4. Try watching your mind. Spot the stressors lurking just below the surface (hunger, worry, a phone call you need to make), and you can resolve them and feel more relaxed. If you practice this mindfulness exercise, it may become one of your favorite relaxation techniques.
5. Laugh. Such a simple thing, yet many of us forget that it's so easy to do! A phone call to a funny friend, a few moments of surfing the net for silly videos, or even just thinking about funny moments in your life can break the tension that you're feeling.
6. Use relaxing music. Keep your favorite relaxation music in your iPod, in the car, or wherever you'll need it and are able to use it the most.
7. Leave the room for a while. If there is a scenario or circumstance in a particular room or area that is causing you to stress out, then try taking some time out from that place. Removing yourself physically from a stressful situation can work wonders!
8. Breathe deeply. Deep breathing is a quick fire meditation method, and can be extremely effective. Count slowly to five while inhaling through your nose, and do the same while breathing out. It helps to keep your eyes closed while doing this, as then you are solely focusing on your breath. Repeat this for as many times as you want to until you feel calmer - it works wonders!
9. Drink some chamomile tea. Any tea can help to soothe your nerves. However, most teas contain caffeine so try it in small doses. Chamomile tea is perhaps the best for calmness as it contains no caffeine and won't hype you up.
10. Go for a walk. If you have five or ten minutes to spare, walking is one of the best relaxation techniques. While you're at it, find a pretty place to walk. No point walking near dumpsters or people smoking cigarettes. See if you can find somewhere calming (think trees, flowers, lakes and birds).
There is more than enough going on in our lives to keep us stressed. Don't accept this as natural! Stress is not just annoying; it can threaten our health and the livelihood of those around us as well. Introducing any of these simple techniques into your life can hopefully help you find calm a little at a time - and once you do that, it will be easier and easier to identify and erase the stress that's coming over you before it reaches a fever pitch!
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